Possibly the most illustrious clergyman of Bow was Whittington
Landon who was Rector between 1833 and 1838. The son of John Landon
from Tedstone, Herefordshire, he matriculated at the University of
Oxford as a member of Worcester College in 1775, aged 17. He
obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1779 and was elected to a
college fellowship in 1782, the same year in which he took his
Master of Arts. He obtained two further degrees: Bachelor of
Divinity in 1790 and Doctor of Divinity in 1795. He was elected
Provost of Worcester College in 1795, and held this position until
his death. He was appointed Keeper of the Archives of the
University in 1796, and held this post until 1815. He also served
as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1802 to 1806.

He married Maria Augustina Ready in 1800; they
had 3 sons. He died on 29 December 1838

Rev Whittington Landon:
Dean of Exeter Cathedral and Rector of Bow

Landon was also an ordained priest in the
Church of England. He was rector of the Herefordshire parish of
Croft with Yarpole from 1796 until his death. He added the
positions of prebendary of Norwich (1811 to 1813) and of Salisbury
(1821 until his death), Dean of Exeter (1813 until his death),
rector of Bishopstone, Salisbury (1822 to 1826), and vicar of
Branscombe, Devon (1827 to 1830) and rector of Bow from 1833 until
his death. He probably infrequently visited Bow; he had a resident
Curate, Rev William Brock Hellins (1798-1858) who undertook his
parish duties.

In 1829 the Western Times asked how he could
perform all the roles to which he was appointed. Pluralism, or
holding several benefices, was common at that time. Well-connected
clergy would reside outside their parish and appoint a curate to do
their work. As the Western Times pointed out:

If a parish
pays a thousand a year for religion to a man they seldom or ever
see, who cares nothing for its spiritual welfare, and who takes no
interest in the moral or religion character of the youth, and the
lower orders; and they find that these duties are partly performed
by a deputy, who receives less than £100 per annum, and who has
very little community of feeling with them we ask, will not the
laity, of consequence, feel that they would rather pay an active
minister £300 or £400 per annum, who would have a community of
interest with themselves, and between whom a mutual relation would
be felt.